MINNEAPOLIS — The 2022 women’s Final Four is full of some of the most recognizable stars in women’s college basketball. South Carolina‘s Aliyah Boston. Stanford‘s Haley Jones. Louisville‘s Hailey Van Lith. UConn‘s Paige Bueckers.
But for as much as those standouts have received attention for their double-double streaks, flashy plays or ability to come up with clutch baskets in key moments, that might not be how Friday’s national semifinals are won.
“I think whoever plays the best defense [Friday] is going to win the game, if I’m being completely honest,” UConn senior guard Christyn Williams said ahead of the Huskies’ matchup against defending national champion Stanford (9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN).
All four teams advanced to the Final Four behind top-tier defenses. The four teams boast top-18 defensive ratings in Division I women’s basketball, per Her Hoop Stats, allowing between 73.7 (South…
